Lidio Carraro to launch World Cup icon wine

Lidio Carraro World Champion FIFA World Cup 2014 Brazil is a limited edition icon wine of only 2014 numbered bottles.

Less than two months before the World Cup in Brazil, Lidio Carraro boutique winery in Vale dos Vinhedos, Southern Brazil, the winery chosen by FIFA to represent the Brazilian wine in the biggest sportive event in the world, is celebrating its 10th anniversary with the launch of a limited edition icon wine in exclusive packaging featuring a gold-plated medal.

The wine was presented during the participation of the winery at the 18th ExpoVinis, the biggest event of wines from Latin America, held from April 22 to 24, at the Expo Center North. It completes the collection of the World Cup official licensed wines formed by the Faces range (red, white and rose) and two editions of the winery’s Colenania Top Premium line.

"This wine is part of the Great Harvest concept from Lidio Carraro, which means it is one of the great classics created only in exceptional harvests." explains winemaker Monica Rossetti.

"This is a tribute from Lidio Carraro to football, to our country and to wine lovers. A wine created from grapes picked from Encruzilhada do Sul lands during the 2008 harvest, one of the best in the history," adds Juliano Carraro, commercial director.

Winemaker Monica Rossetti gave a lecture in the exhibitor's tasting room on the first day of the event themed ‘The Brazilian diversity translated into a world wine: The Faces FIFA World Cup case’ explaining details of this unique oenological World Cup wines project.

Concept and technical information

The wine icon concept is a unique lot dedicated to great champions, known or anonymous men and women who contribute to building a better life and leave their legacy for future generations. Like all wines in the portfolio of Lidio Carraro, they are made with the Purist philosophy of preserving the expression and grape quality during all winemaking process.

The management of vineyards for their production is manual, with a meticulous care in the selection of grapes during harvest. In order to achieve natural balance and concentration, the yield of grapes per plant is extremely low (about 1 kg/plant). Technical management based on soil characteristics have continuity in the winery with identifying the exact point of ripeness of the grapes and wine making specific strategies to extract the best potential of each clone of the variety in each plot and then unite all the virtues into a single wine.

The destalking was done by gravity, without suffering mechanical pumping action. Fermentation took place in small stainless steel tanks, following the traditional system of vinification with long maceration, according to each of the parcels of Merlot. After malolactic fermentation the wine had 12 months in tanks for a natural stabilization, and after bottling with no filtration to preserve its features, it remained maturing in bottle for five years.

The process has resulted in a remarkably dense wine – a characteristic that distinguishes an unfiltered wine matured in bottle. The aromas are complex with an engaging character. Fruity notes of blackberry, plum and dates are completed with aspects of earth, toast, nuts and liquorice. After a few minutes of opening in the glass, dried roses, candied fruit and cassis aromas appear, resulting in an expressive and vibrant wine. Well-integrated tannins provide balance and harmony. A mineral and lingering aftertaste provide a great finish.

A toast to 10 years

In the viticulture industry for five generations, the family winery celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2014. With a retrospective of many achievements, the celebration coincides with the year of the World Cup in Brazil, when Lidio Carraro, chosen by FIFA, officially assumed the responsibility for representing Brazilian wines in the biggest sport event in the world, contributing to position the beverage at a level of recognized quality.

"The Lidio Carraro wants to be remembered for leaving a positive legacy to Brazilian wines. We want to help to be part of Brazilian wines’ history in which Brazilians can be proud of the wine of their own land and that the international market now recognizes the quality and authenticity we have here, putting Brazil on the map of the greatest wines of the world." says Patricia Carraro, the winery’s marketing director.

In its 47 hectares of production, Lidio Carraro family opted to cultivate the concept of boutique winery, with a controlled, small and high quality production. This standard is maintained by the union of tradition and constant improvement, an effort shared by everyone in the company. While Mr Lidio Carraro is completely involved with viticulture, his wife Isabel and their ‘children’, winemakers Julian and Giovanni, and the architect Patrícia, specialized in marketing, are responsible for managing the business and marketing of wine. Leading the project is Monica Rossetti, the winemaker with the task of adding knowledge and translate the Lidio Carraro company’s ideals to the wines, the pursuit for of excellence.

Throughout this decade, Lidio Carraro has received many achievements, such as the highest score ever awarded to Brazilian wine by Jancis Robinson's website and was quoted "among the 50 best wines in the world" by Le Figaro, France. One of its wines won the title of Wine of the Year in US by Snooth. It was the 1st Brazilian wine sold in the Duty-Frees in the country. It was also the only Brazilian winery to take part of the Great Wines Selection of the Board Society. It was chosen to produce the Official Wine for the Pan American Games, the Official Sparkling of the Stock Car 30th year of the competition in Brazil and, to consolidate as a brand associated with sport, it was chosen as the producer of the official licensed of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The winery ended 2013 with two awards from the Brazilian Wine Institute (Ibravin): Highest Growth in Exports and Remarkable Small Businesses. It also got the 3rd position in the ranking of export value in the Brazilian wine sector.

Last year, Lidio Carraro reached the significant growth of 185% in its revenues, almost three times more than 2012. Export revenues also showed an excellent performance: more than tripled, reaching 236%. Nearly a year after the Confederations Cup, the Faces wine is already being sold in countries including Denmark, UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Finland, France, Germany, Canadá, Japan, Taiwan and China. In the domestic market, the wine from the Faces line can be found at specialty stores, the best restaurants and nationwide supermarket chains.

28 April 2014 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor